Hello everyone!

Today, I wanted to take a moment to discuss my recent milestone, one that holds great significance in my coding journey. Exactly one year into my tech career, I've embarked on a new venture: creating a YouTube channel. My first video, titled "Coding Interview Beginner's Guide: Solving 8kyu CodeWars Challenges in Python & JS", serves as both a tutorial and a testament to my dedication to continual growth.

The Birth of an Idea Now, why did I choose to focus on 8kyu CodeWars challenges for my debut? Well, they represent the starting point for many developers on CodeWars and are often the first hurdle that newcomers face when delving into coding challenges. For those unfamiliar, CodeWars ranks its challenges, called "katas," in terms of difficulty. 8kyu is the entry point, the "white belt" if you will, of this coding dojo.

Using Video as a Tool for Accountability One of the key reasons I started this YouTube channel was for accountability. When you publicly commit to something, there's an added layer of motivation not to let your audience down. By sharing my coding journey, I am more driven than ever to consistently level up my skills. Every video I produce is a promise to my viewers and myself, a reminder of where I began, and a testament to my progress.

Solving CodeWars Challenges: A Dual-Purpose The act of solving these katas not only sharpens my problem-solving skills but also deepens my understanding of the languages I’m using, namely Python and JavaScript. Each challenge presents a unique problem, often requiring a mix of algorithmic thinking and language-specific nuances.

Yet, there’s another dimension to this. By teaching and explaining my thought process and solutions, I’m forced to crystallize my understanding. The old adage, “To teach is to learn twice,” rings particularly true here. Explaining a concept to someone else requires a deeper comprehension than simply understanding it yourself. In attempting to break down complex topics into digestible pieces for my viewers, I invariably find myself relearning and reinforcing my knowledge.

The Road Ahead My tech journey is still relatively young, but this first year has been incredibly formative. By intertwining teaching with learning, I’m solidifying my grasp on foundational concepts and setting the stage for tackling more complex challenges in the future.

To everyone out there starting their coding journey, remember: accountability can be a powerful tool. Whether it’s through creating content, joining a study group, or simply telling a friend about your goals, having someone to answer to can provide that extra nudge you need to stay on track.

To all my viewers and readers, thank you for being part of this journey. Let’s keep leveling up together!

If you're interested in checking out my first video and diving into some beginner-friendly coding challenges, you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTuRLvfkKXU&t=211s. Happy coding, everyone!